The Meadows: Gingras, Burke click twice in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes

Driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke picked up a double in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Saturday afternoon at The Meadows, visiting victory lane with Cattlewash and Caliber. The undefeated (four-for-four) Adriano Hanover won the other grouping for pilot Tim Tetrick and conditioner Jim King Jr.

Cattlewash lost for the first time in his career in an Arden Downs division at The Meadows on Adios Day, but he rebounded today with a 1:52 1/5 victory in the second $60,684 flight. Gingras fired him right to the front from post seven, he led through panels of 27 4/5, 56 4/5, and 1:24 4/5, and sealed the deal with a 27 2/5 final kicker. He downed pocket-sitter All Hands On Deck (Corey Callahan) by 2 1/2 lengths, with Father Nuno (David Miller) third.

“I screamed at him a little just to get his attention after last week,” Gingras said. “I made sure he was occupied today, and he really paced home good.”

A Somebeachsomewhere colt, Cattlewash is a homebred for W.J. Donovan. Cattlewash, the first foal out of the Bettor's Delight mare Road Bet (1:52, $380,315), a half-sister to Mypanmar (The Panderosa, 1:48 3/5, $1,490,996), sports a record of 3-1-0 from four tries and he has pocketed $81,134. Cattlewash was the 9-5 second choice and paid $5.80 to win.

In the last $60,684 section Goldstar Buniholly (James Yoder) blasted out from post eight and put up testing fractions of 26 1/5, 54 2/5, and 1:23 1/5. Public choice Rockin The Blaze (Dexter Dunn) popped pocket going to three-quarters, and that provided cover to Caliber and Gingras, who had been sitting third. Gingras tipped Caliber three-wide on the final bend, he passed the battling and winded leaders in the lane, and held sway to the wire, winning by half a length in 1:52 1/5. Tito Rocks (D. Miller) split rivals in the stretch and surged for second, with Captain Barbossa (Callahan) third off a ground-saving trip.

Caliber is a Sweet Lou gelding and is a homebred for Diamond Creek Farm. This was the maiden-breaking triumph for Caliber, whose dam is the Four Starzzz Shark mare Allstar Rating (1:49, $340,042). Caliber, who has one win, one second, and one third from three efforts, has banked $45,172 and returned $7.40 to win as the 5-2 second choice.

Back in the opening $60,284 split Adriano Hanover and Tetrick bypassed tucks on the first turn and pressed on to the lead around Hey Run Me Over (Andrew McCarthy) past the 27 2/5 opening quarter. Tetrick then backed down the half to 56 3/5 and the three-quarters in 1:25 1/5, with Tell Them Lou (D. Miller) trying him from first-over at the latter mark. Adriano Hanover turned away Tell Them Lou, though, sprinting home in 27 1/5 to win by a length and a quarter in a career-best 1:52 2/5. Catch The Fire (Mike Wilder) closed nicely and was second, with Hey Run Me Over third.

“I was just seeing how things were playing out,” Tetrick said. “I didn’t want to get away sixth or seventh and have to move forward. That colt came pretty hard at him, but we weren’t going really fast. I kind of had my colt asleep, but he woke right up. It was the first time I’ve pulled the plugs on him, and he paced all the way to the wire.”

Jim King Jr. trains Adriano Hanover, a colt by Western Ideal, for owners Jo Ann Looney-King and Joseph Palermo III. Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Adriano Hanover fetched $60,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is out of the Allamerican Native mare A And G'sconfusion (1:50 2/5, $1,472,566), making him a three-quarter brother to Mohawk Warrior (Rocknroll Hanover, 1:50 1/5, $352,629). Adriano Hanover has earned $77,684 to go with his perfect record, and he paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

--quotes courtesy of The Meadows--